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Beavan adjusting to new routine out of bullpen

Mariners pitcher Blake Beaven talks about developing a new angle for his pitches while also working on his change-up in Spring Training camp

By Greg Johns
/
MLB.com |

SEATTLE -- When Blake Beavan came in to pitch to three batters in the seventh inning Tuesday, it was the first time the big right-hander had ever come out of the bullpen in his baseball career -- not just in the Majors, but at any point in his life.

So, yeah, it's an adjustment for the 24-year-old Texan as he's been moved to a relief role with the arrival of veteran Aaron Harang to the rotation.

Beavan gave up singles to Austin Jackson and Miguel Cabrera, sandwiched around a strikeout of Torii Hunter, before he was replaced by left-hander Bobby LaFromboise.

"Weird," Beavan said of the experience. "The hardest thing for me was knowing how much to throw, when to stop throwing. You don't quite know when you'll get in the game, so you could get hot and then sit down and get back up in two more innings. So that's just something different.

"That's something I guess I'll get used to for now. It's just something for me to get a feel for how many pitches it takes to get warm and save them for out there."

But after struggling in his first two starts, Beavan just wants to find his groove and help the team in his new role.

"I hope I pitch tonight. I'd love to get back in there," Beavan said prior to Wednesday's rematch with the Tigers. "There's definitely a little more intensity coming out of the bullpen. I can only imagine a lot more intensity when you've got other people's runs on the basepaths. You don't want them scoring.

"It was definitely different, but it can only get better and more comfortable from here. I'll just be ready for when they need me. The good thing is I can help down there with innings and if they do need somebody to eat up more than normal, I can help."